Light conversation
They walked into the town, Sheppard smiling left and right, charming everyone with a "hi there" or a "how are you". Teyla walked alongside him, a friendly smile for whoever cared to look at them while Rodney and Ronon closed the march; one engrossed in his scanner the other evaluating their surroundings. A peculiar looking group, they clashed with the nondescript white clad inhabitants of M1F 982.
An official looking man met them when they reached a large fountain that gushed in the central square.
"Greetings. Welcome to Taulouse. I am Kretin, Mr. Esteban's secondary. We heard of your arrival by the Ring Guardian. For what purpose have you come to us?" Sheppard raised his hand in greeting as Teyla took a step, bringing her in front of the group, nearer to the man.
"I am Teyla Emmagan. This is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, Ronon Dex and Doctor Rodney McKay. We are peaceful explorers, looking for trading partners. I am of the Athosian and have been told our people were allies, long ago."
The man nodded politely as each team member was introduced before returning his attention to Teyla. "If you would please follow me, I will take you to Mr. Esteban." He turned and indicated they should follow. Rodney fell into step with Sheppard and whispered "Did he say his name is Cretin?" but only received a disapproving "Rodney" in response.
"Mr. Esteban, is he your leader?" Teyla asked politely.
"No, he is responsible for Ring control. The Lord is our leader."
The town's buildings were all of unusual forms constructed from a shiny, smooth material reminiscent of very solid plastic, the kind used to build children's playground structures. Some constructions were curved in great ovals, others pointed into triangles, or octagons, lozenges. An array of white geometrical expertise spread before the eye. They entered the tallest building, a pentagon. Amusement glinted in Rodney's eyes as he looked over to his fellow Earthling to share this decidedly Earthly moment. John's eyebrows where drawn in concern which only served to amuse Rodney further.
"Afraid of the pentagon, Colonel?" he said teasingly.
"Not so much no, shapes are more intriguing than scary. Besides, I'm not the one with the baggage of phobias around here." He gently laid a hand on Rodney's shoulder. "Trying to tell me something McKay? You can tell me if you're afraid, there's no shame in it, a perfect parallelogram can be intimidating." His voice had dropped to a soothing understanding murmur, his face a concerned mask. The underlying hint of friendly mockery was unmistakable.
"I do not have phobias!" This drew a disbelieving snort from Sheppard and a smile from Teyla.
"Nah, you just pretend to be hyperventilating, sweating and going insane whenever lemon, bee, pollen, manners or lack of food are so much as mentioned." This served its purpose; McKay forgot he was baiting Sheppard.
"They are not phobias! Allergies, Colonel, allergies and hypoglycaemia. You too would be uncomfortable if you had the constant threat of death over your head! It's beyond me how your little soldier brain fails to comprehend that! You'll see, one day citrus will pass these lips and you'll be sorry you ever said a word! And, as far as manners go, I am extremely well-mannered thank you very much!" He was getting worked up, his face scrunched in an annoyed frown, gesticulating madly. Sheppard just had to push it further. After all, Rodney was most amusing when he worked himself into frenzy like this.
"Ummmmmm, yes, the orange juice threat is a very real and dangerous one and I'd rather not go too deep in your mannered delusion but, really McKay, again with the militaries are stupid comment? You used it just this morning; you're losing your touch." He had it down to an art, the lazy drawling tease. It didn't matter what he said, that tone always worked on that particular man.
"Hardly, I'm just trying to stay at your level with the small words and the easily understandable sentences." John grinned at his victory. Sheppard 1, McKay 0.
"You've got nothing." They fell silent as Kretin knocked on a door.
The entered a bleak office containing a desk and two chairs. A short man dressed in white robes of rough natural cloth sat quietly. All was white and unassuming in this world: the buildings, the clothes, the people. Kretin introduced him as Mr. Esteban and went to stand quietly at the door. Sheppard and Teyla sat opposite him and answered questions pertaining to their existence. Who they were, where they were from, what they hoped to achieve in coming to this planet were all things Mr. Esteban didn't seem interested in but demanded to know nonetheless, as it was required of him. Rodney couldn't help the yawn that conveyed the team's collective thought: what a boring man. Droning voice, lifeless eyes, he remained utterly unmoving throughout the interview. A man as drab as his office and that was saying a lot. An hour passed before he instructed Kretin to go and announce their imminent arrival to The Lord.
"It is seldom that strangers come to us, The Lord has requested a meeting at which time he will decide to officialise this alliance or not."
John smiled, exuding grossly fake delight in having the opportunity to meet the leader. A touch of eye rolling from Rodney did nothing to endear them to Mr. Esteban, or the scientist to anyone. Teyla shot him a look clearly meant to intimidate and warn; behave, it said as clearly as is she had spoken. Kretin entered the room, putting a stop to Sheppard's 'seduce the locals' operation.
"The Lord will allow them to see him, now." With a wave of his hand Mr. Esteban dismissed them.
"Go, he must not be kept waiting." They exited, glancing at each other in surprise at the lack of politeness and social manners the man suddenly exhibited.
They were led up flight after flight of stairs to an outer office, empty, bar two men standing guard by large double doors. Kretin murmured a few words and they walked to the left side of the door where a ledge had appeared from the wall.
"We ask that you entrust your armoury to us for the length of your visit with The Lord. It will be returned to you upon your exit of his chamber." Kretin gestured to the two men who held their hands outstretched. The team did as was asked with a certain unease, though not as they would have was Ronon not proficient in the art of hidden knives. The two guards stowed the weapons, the ledge receded into the wall and they opened the doors moving back to allow the visitors entry.
The room was different from everything this world had presented so far. The walls were coloured to an inch of their construction. Plants, sculptures and vases stood everywhere. A windowed wall allowed light to reach every little corner and yet dozens of pillar candles were lit, a sweet dulling scent rising in the air, so thick it could almost be seen.
In the middle of this positively ornate room rose a four tiers platform drowning in a cascade of material that fell from the ceiling. Amongst the cushions covering the higher level of the platform lounged a man. Strikingly tall, he rose in a flurry of fabric and walked regally to them. John believed at that moment he had found the exact replica of Fabio and Rodney gaped, amazement written on his face. Teyla appeared as unruffled as ever while Ronon looked at the man with obvious distaste, obvious only to those who knew him well. The man had long blond hair and a muscular body barely covered by a flow of coloured silky robes so that bronzed skin glinted at every movement. Smiling broadly, hands outstretched in a welcoming gesture he spoke in a theatrical voice, expressive and booming.
"Friends! Friends! Welcome to Taulouse! I am Lord Limployd! Please, take a seat." A brief moment of awkwardness followed when none moved. Grasping John's hand, The Lord dragged him over to the cushioned area and pulled him in a sitting position. Beaming to the others, he patted an area beside him, crooking his finger in the universal or apparently multi-universal come here gesture. It wasn't so much the gesture but John's insistent come here right this minute, do not let me sit with this freak by myself glare that got his team moving. Amusement sparkled in Teyla's eyes and Rodney couldn't hide a smirk as he thought of his theory. I knew it, he's Kirk. The man is a walking pheromone.
"Now, who might you beautiful people be? "asked the still beaming man, lounging back in a strange exhibitionistic pose.
"I am Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. This is Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex and Doctor Rodney McKay." Limployd eyed Rodney interestingly.
"Yes, I have been informed there was a doctor amongst us. You might be interested in visiting our healing facilities?" Rodney sat straighter, as straight as his back would allow in the sinking softness of the cushions.
"I am not that kind of doctor, not a healer."
The leader slanted towards Rodney. "What kind of doctor are you then, you lovely man?"
Bright pink embarrassment flushed Rodney's skin at being called a lovely man, by a man, a man who was patting his knee. Sputtering and mumbling, Rodney made a great show of incoherence. John's grin broadened to become the real one, not the polite –hello we are nice people- one. No, this was the –Rodney, you are so screwed and I'm loving this- one. He let the man suffer a bit longer if only for the earlier smug look the scientist had shot him, while he sat alone with The Lord on this…bed-like area. He was compelled to intervene when the hand moved higher. No one was going to molest his team in his presence…or, ever, preferably.
"Dr. McKay specialises in the workings of the universe and its components."
The man patted a little bit higher and Rodney shifted uncomfortably, wanting to get away from the intrusive hand without insulting the leader of this world.
"The workings of the universe? My, what a useful man you must be. You are a Master then, one who knows?" The Lord's eyes glinted as he looked intensely at the increasingly uneasy Rodney who could only sputter unlike the genius they were telling this man he was. The Lord's hand kept stroking him in a slow, circular motion.
"Dr. McKay certainly knows a lot of things. We are fortunate to have him with us." Teyla was trying to divert Lord Limployd's attention. John and Ronon unsuccessfully hid their amusement at seeing the brash, loud, obnoxious astrophysicist reduced to a distressed well-mannered puddle.
"Yes, we are certainly fortunate…" The Lord said, smiling at Rodney. "You will certainly want to see our research facilities."
Rodney nodded politely and shifted once more, to no avail. The hand was moving higher on his thigh, The Lord leaning closer, the words he spoke a mere whisper in his ear.
"It shall be arranged."